The invention relates to a removable hardtop vehicle roof comprising at least two roof parts, which are movable between a closed position, in which they cover an interior vehicle space, and a storage position, in which the roof parts are deposited in a rear storage compartment, and with a rear window supported in the rear roof part so as to be movable relative thereto.
DE 198 07 490 C1 discloses a two-part hardtop vehicle roof including front and rear roof parts, which are movable by an operating mechanism between a closed position, in which they cover an interior vehicle space, and an open or storage position, in which they are deposited in a rear storage compartment. The rear roof part includes a rear window, which is movable relative to the rear roof part. In the closed position of the vehicle roof, the rear window is sealingly disposed in an opening of the rear roof part. However, in the storage position, the rear window is pivoted relative to the rear roof part about a pivot shaft supported on the rear roof part such that the rear window is disposed in the storage compartment raised relative to the rear roof part in order to increase the available trunk space. The pivot axis between the rear window and the rear roof part is disposed in the rear area of the rear roof section.
By way of a control lever which, with one end thereof, is pivotally connected to the vehicle body and, with its other end, to the rear window, the rear window is forced upwardly during movement of the rear roof part into the storage compartment so that the rear window is raised with respect to the rear roof part in the storage compartment.
The relative movement between the rear window and the rear roof part however is solely a rotational pivot movement. As a result, the rear window is disposed in the storage compartment at an angle with respect to the plane of the rear roof part. The space made additionally available in the vehicle trunk therefore has the shape of an acute-angled sector so that the trunk space gained, particularly in the area next to the interior vehicle space, that is, the inner trunk wall, is relatively small.
FR 2 805 218 A1 and, respectively, FR 2 805 219 A1 disclose a two-part hardtop vehicle roof whose rear roof part includes side C-columns between which the rear view window is disposed when the roof is in the closed position. The rear window is pivotally connected at one end by way of a jointed lever, which is firmly mounted to the rear window, to the vehicle body and at its other end, it is pivotally supported on the C-columns by another jointed lever which includes two pivot joints. During movement of the vehicle roof into the storage compartment, the rear window moves in a circular path about the vehicle body-based pivot joint. The C-columns of the rear roof part are also pivotally supported on the vehicle body, the pivot joints between the C-columns and the rear window being spaced from each other. The different pivot movements of the rear window and the C-columns during movement of the roof into the storage compartment result in a relative movement of the rear window with respect to the C-columns, wherein the upper jointed lever positively controls the movement of the upper part of the rear window relative the C-columns.
In this vehicle roof, the rear window is pivotally supported by the vehicle body. As a result, the possibilities for depositing the window in the storage compartment are very limited. Particularly, it is impossible to make the movement of the roof parts upon movement into the storage compartment independent of the movement of the rear window into the storage compartment, since the rear roof part is connected to the vehicle body also by way of the rear window.
For further background information reference is made to EP 1 092 580 A1 and DE 199 36 252 A1.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a hardtop vehicle roof, which can be stored in the storage compartment in a space-saving manner so that additional trunk space is available in the vehicle trunk when the roof is deposited in the storage compartment.